Unquenchable
by Miss Learmont
Summary: Sakura was the princess of the Kinomoto kingdom, until the Lis invaded her kingdom when she was eight. Now, ten years later, she's out for revenge. How will she and the cruel king Syaoran end up? Rated R for violence. Ch. 6 is up! R&R.
1. Captured

**Unquenchable******

_~Chandramukhi~_

                                      **Chapter 1: Captured**

Dawn broke out over the sad remains of the late King Fujitaka's kingdom. The once beautiful palace now was gloomy and forbidding. Death had visited the kingdom once ruled by the Kinomotos, death, war, destruction…

Wrapped up in their own grief, none noticed a young girl roaming the streets, her royal robe was torn and filthy, blood pouring from wounds inflicted upon her from the assault on the palace. Her tiara had fallen off and was probably lying on the ground near her once beloved home.

She roamed her kingdom, sadly watching the fates of her once faithful subjects.

The members of the court were thrown into the dungeons, or tortured to death.

What became of her father, she never knew…yet the odds were against his surviving the initial attack.

Her brother…it was confirmed that he had been thrown into the dungeons, never again to see the light of day.

It had been hardest on the children. Children whose parents had been ravaged before their very eyes, children whose lives had been destroyed, children who no longer had a place in society…

One child was on the run from the kingdom's officials…

The daughter of King Fujitaka and Queen Nadeshiko had escaped.

And the kingdom that had conquered and added the Kinomoto kingdom to their own, would never tolerate the last, surviving Kinomoto to live…

Sakura Kinomoto was on the run!

And the Li King was after her!

                                                                   _~§~_

A similar dawn broke over the Li kingdom, which had been known as, ten years before, the Kinomoto kingdom. 

Ten years…

In ten years, the appearance of the kingdom had changed…

The war-torn palace had been rebuilt, this time with the symbol of the Li family adorning everything.

The market was busy; civilians from the Li kingdom were busy buying food…

And then…beyond the outskirts of the kingdom, were the poor.

Those who had once been living in the Kinomoto kingdom, were never allowed to set foot inside the Li's kingdom. They were cruelly banished, to live their lives away from society…

They were the dregs of the kingdom, pulled out of their homes to do the most menial of tasks for little pay, the lives of those which had been turned into a living hell…those who had been harbouring a hate for the King of the Li kingdom deep within their hearts…

And through the efforts of one girl alone, the spark of hatred for the Lis had been fanned into a flame of deepest revulsion…

The long-lost princess of the former Kinomoto kingdom…had been found.

                                                                   _~§~_

All sorts of people were involved in the Resistance. Everyone from the nobility to everyday civilians were involved in this intricate plan laid down by Her Highness Princess Sakura herself.

Sakura's family had created a shelter, a place armed with weapons and stocked with food, with secret passages leading to everywhere in the kingdom and stocked with the wealthiest, most coveted possessions in the Kinomoto kingdom. Such a place, was where the princess had decided to hold her Resistance headquarters.

She cut an elegant figure. Ten years in hiding had changed her. The short, chubby, blue-eyed, blonde princess with the cheery smile was gone. In her stead, stood a proud, emerald-eyed, auburn-haired slim girl of considerable height and a stern face. Normally clad in a simple tunic that brought out her eyes, she always carried her father's sword, buckled on a belt tied in sash fashion across her back. Though none had seen her fabled swordplay, it was assumed that there were none to cross blades with the last of the Kinomoto line.

This evening was different.

This evening marked the tenth year of Li rule. The tenth year for the eighteen-year-old to stare at her former kingdom hidden in the trees. 

It marked the end of a full two years since the Resistance was started. And the members of the Resistance were celebrating a successful mission completed. Sakura had been forced to dress for the occasion. Her "executives" of the Resistance, Tomoyo, Chiharu and Rika had forced her into an elegant kimono which had once belonged to her mother. It was made of heavy red satin, embroidered with gold thread. Her long, auburn hair had been swept back into a simple ponytail. A tiara had been placed on her head. Yet, her father's sword, with the red and gold hilt and scabbard still was buckled to her back.

Sakura noticed something very odd. The Mona Lisa hung on the wall opposite her. The eyes seemed to be watching her.

She shrugged it off. The Mona Lisa had been famous for that feeling of the eyes always watching...yet…

Sakura stared at the eyes. In the place of the Mona Lisa's black eyes, these eyes were amber!

It was as if everything had happened in slow motion.

"…and so," Tomoyo was saying, "the guard asked me who I was and then – "

"Tomoyo, _duck your head_!" Sakura cried, as Tomoyo ducked and an arrow sped straight at Sakura's face, who whipped her sword out and deflected it. At the same time, about two dozen Li soldiers clad in green filed into the room.

"Run for it!" Sakura commanded. There were quite a few with swords, who immediately parried the soldiers' strokes. Sakura disarmed one, injured two and killed three as she ran to her comrades-in-arms as they were putting up a good fight.

"The moment I give the word," she muttered, "you all run, and I'll hold the rest off."

"But – " Tomoyo protested, but Sakura was firm about her word.

"Stand by now," Sakura muttered, as she parried with three soldiers. "NOW!"

The ten Resistance members disappeared, leaving Sakura alone with her back against the wall, fighting six soldiers who were closing in on her.

"Cowards," Sakura said, disarming one, whose sword hung limply in his hand. She grabbed the blade and with her palm dripping with blood, ran him through.

"All right, who's next?" she challenged, brandishing the two swords.

Three soldiers ran at her. Sakura lashed at them with lightning speed. Two lay dead, one was stunned.

"Any more cowards willing to fight?" Sakura demanded. The two remaining soldiers shrugged.

"You won't fight?" Sakura asked mockingly. They backed away from her.

The two swords left Sakura's hands. She had flung them both at the soldiers, where they had found their mark. One had stabbed the soldier through the head, the other had buried itself in the other's chest.

Sakura shook her head slightly, and gazed around at the limp bodies scattering the floor of the Resistance headquarters. She stared at her sword which had pierced the man through his chest. She walked over to the man and knelt by him and slowly extricated the sword from his chest and wiped the blood off the sword using the man's emerald green cloak.

All of a sudden, she felt something cold graze the back of her neck.

"So," a cold male voice said, "this is where the last remaining Kinomoto had hidden for ten years."

Sakura could see everything reflected in her sword. There was a tall figure standing behind her, dressed in green robes, and his swordtip was grazing Sakura's neck.

Suddenly, in a lightning fast motion, Sakura's hand closed around the swordhilt and she swung the sword against the one grazing her neck. The sword grazing her neck left her neck for a split-second, which was all she needed. She swung up and faced the man.

He was obviously the cruel king Syaoran Li himself. He could be no other. Who else would be wearing a crown studded with emeralds? His amber eyes were laughing maliciously at her, and his skill at swordplay could be matched only by hers.

He parried her blade.

"Temper," he sneered. "I happened to witness your victory back there."

"I don't wonder," Sakura spat. "It only stands to reason that the king of cowards would direct his battles from behind."

"It's a strategy," he said. "It explains why I am still going to be alive after this."

"Oh no you won't!" 

Sakura swung her sword out of the king's parry. 

"I've heard a lot about you, Syaoran," she said scathingly. "I remember the day well when your army deceived ours and snuck the rule of the kingdom by deceit. My father…"

"…was killed in battle. I killed him myself," the king said.

"Really?" Sakura said. "I'm surprised a coward like you dared to even set a foot in battle. I've heard from better warriors than yourself who witnessed his death. He was surrounded by twelve soldiers, and his back was unprotected. Then, someone dared bring him down with arrows!"

She looked at him contemptuously.

"You are the scum of the Earth, Syaoran. You couldn't outdo him in swordplay, so you brought him down with arrows!"

And she swung her sword at him, but he parried.

"And then, there was Touya," she said, her eyes like chips of green ice, "who you left to rot in your dungeons!"

"True," Syaoran agreed. "I've killed off your family…except your mother, who was so weak, she died before I could kill her!"

Sakura's voice quivered with rage.

"At least she could make herself a place in heaven, but where will you go, Syaoran? You've made yourself so hated, that even the devils will throw you out of hell!"

She had struck a nerve, for it was Syaoran who swung the sword, only to have Sakura block it with her own.

She grabbed the hilt with both hands and swung the blade out of the locked parry. She thrust forward, aiming for his heart, but Syaoran parried, and then, _he_ aimed for her neck, but with a flick of her wrist, she had nearly disarmed him – nearly.

"You're good with a blade," Syaoran said. "But I've got news for you."

"I know you're right-handed!" Sakura snapped, and aimed at his arm.

"Most unfortunately, your right hand is wounded," Syaoran said. "Pity. It would have made you a better swordsman."

Sakura paused, her face contorted into rage. "You haven't bested me yet – "

That pause had been all Syaoran had needed. With a flick of his sword, he sent Sakura's sword spinning on the cold floor, and forced her on the ground on all fours.

"You're too insolent to live," Syaoran said menacingly, sword pointing above her neck.

"Then kill me!" Sakura spat. "I should have known that only you would attempt such a low move. But then, the only way you can kill me is if you're carrying a weapon, and I'm not. Coward."

Sakura suddenly felt two pairs of arms grab her arms. Before she knew it, two soldiers had a hold of an arm each, and Sakura found herself struggling against their iron grips.

"Yes," came Syaoran's voice from somewhere above her, "I am a coward. Yet, you are too fine a creature to kill outright. I will teach you obedience – "

"You can't teach me anything, you spineless, weak, arrogant, conceited – " Sakura started, but one arm clamped around her mouth.

"I can't, can't I?" Syaoran asked, a hint of amusement coming into his voice. "We shall see, dear Sakura – "

Sakura violently bit the hand that muffled her. There was a shout and the man withdrew his hand, which was bleeding.

"Violent, aren't you? Come, let us go. Hiragiwaza, you know what to do with this place," Syaoran said. The two men dragged Sakura off, with her struggling like a wildcat.

"Your Majesty!" one of them called. "It's impossible! This one's got spunk, she has!"

Syaoran's lip curled. Drawing a vial from his robes, he tossed it to the guard.

"Open wide," he sneered as he pinched Sakura's nose. She held out for a long time…two minutes…

Three minutes…

Sakura's eyes glazed over. The world swam in front of her eyes…the stars were dancing in front of her eyes…

…she felt so dizzy…

The last thing she remembered were the cruel amber eyes laughing at her before everything went dark.

                                                                   _~§~_

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing

**A/N:** I think that was of an appropriate length. This isn't gonna be easy, since I'm working on three stories at once, and school's coming round next Tuesday, and I might not update fer a while…

Review, review, review!

Pleez?!

**_Chandramukhi_**


	2. Helpless

**Unquenchable******

_~Chandramukhi~_

_                                                                             ~§~_

          Last Chapter:

Sakura's eyes glazed over. The world swam in front of her eyes…the stars were dancing in front of her eyes…

…she felt so dizzy…

The last thing she remembered were the cruel amber eyes laughing at her before everything went dark.

                                                                             _~§~_

                                                          **Chapter 2: Helpless**

Regaining consciousness was a painful experience. At least, in Sakura's case, it was. She knew she was awake, yet didn't bother opening her eyes. Not just yet. 

First, she knew that she was in hot, hot water. That demonstration on swordplay with Li must have cost her life…or worse…the lives of all those in the Resistance…

What would happen to them? What would happen to Tomoyo, and Chiharu, and Rika and everyone else who had come to trust her during those two years of the Resistance?

What would happen to the Resistance?

Would Tomoyo continue them?

A thousand questions hammered in Sakura's head. All of them unanswered respectively, _thanks to that conceited fool that calls himself a king!_ Sakura thought bitterly.

Sakura had never felt so helpless. Not even that table-turning day when the Lis took over the Kinomoto kingdom. And she knew that there was no way out. None. No light on a horizon that had never looked darker.

No way out…

She was closed in on all sides…

She was trapped!

Sakura felt like hammering her fists against one of her prison walls, hammer and beat and thrash and pound until both she and the wall faded away into nothing…

But fate would never allow her to do that…

_Why?_ Sakura felt like demanding things from God. _You taught me how to be free, to live free, to set others free…You taught me freedom…and then You imprisoned me. Why?!_

But no matter how much she pondered this, it too remained unanswered (_again thanks to that no-good idiot! Sakura thought furiously.)_

Where was she? 

Was she going to be spared?

Perhaps the king would spare her?

No, Sakura decided. It stood to reason that since the king had just acquired a very handsome source of information, he would not rest until he had everything he needed, and then…

Then he would do away with her.

Sakura shuddered, wondering if the king could read minds.

                                                                   _~§~_

Hours later, Sakura finally opened an eye to survey her surroundings, unable to withstand the fury of the barrage of unanswered questions. 

She was in some sort of carriage, seated in one of the green seats…

_Green_, Sakura thought nervously, remembering all she had learnt from two years of undercover spying. _I'm in a carriage with green seats…_

This obviously meant that she was in a carriage being driven by Li soldiers and taken to the Li kingdom…

"You're awake," came a cold voice from beside her.

Sakura slowly turned her one open eye to the figure seated beside her. The blurry figure swam into focus. Green robes, a emerald-studded crown, amber eyes, a smirk playing across his features…

"It's you!" Sakura half-shouted as her eyes snapped wide open and she frantically realized that she was pinned between the wall of the carriage and the notorious King Syaoran Li himself.

"Yes," the king drawled. "It's me. The spineless king Syaoran himself in person…for once."

Sakura's gaze turned frosty.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

The king chuckled.

"True…what would I want? The king of the most prosperous kingdom in the world…I have a wonderful family, a wonderful palace, a wonderful kingdom, the most loyal subjects, the most powerful warriors…why, I even have the long-lost Princess Sakura Kinomoto in my grasp…"

"You're not answering my question," Sakura stated stiffly through gritted teeth.

"That is also true," the king said, "my, you Kinomotos have a knack for speaking the painstakingly true…"

"Are you too much of a coward to answer my questions or are you just naturally dense?" Sakura asked, her tone dead cold.

The king drew his sword and placed it gently across Sakura's neck.

"See how easy it is from my eyes?" he asked, face still smiling benignly, but his tone was sharp and icy. "All it is for me is just one flick of the wrist…but it's your life you are gambling with here. And who are you?" he asked.

Sakura held her head high and kept her eyes level with the kings'.

"I am Sakura Kinomoto, former princess of the ex-Kinomoto kingdom!" she said.

"As such, you are nobody, as neither are you a princess, and nor does the Kinomoto kingdom exist!" the king said.

Sakura's glare was penetrating; her rage was so great that the king could have sworn that at that very moment, Sakura's vivid green eyes had flashed scarlet. With one hand, she slowly placed her hand around the blade of the sword and pushed it off her neck. There was a pause as she slowly held her bleeding palm toward his face.

"You see this?" she whispered, her voice like a winter wind howling in the frozen tundra. "This is the scar you gave not only me, but my kingdom. That day, with one flick of your hand, you ended the lives of two hundred men and women. That day, you stole the honour of all the women in our kingdom – those you hadn't butchered to death, that is. That day, you orphaned more than half the children of the kingdom. Your name lives in infamy; both you and the scar you have placed across our kingdom's golden name!"

Saying this, her voice went, if possible, even colder.

"But I swear upon the dead of my kingdom," she said, "I swear upon my brother, my mother, my father, the orphaned children, the shamed women, the butchered people, all those you so cruelly mistreated, one day, this country will be ruled by someone through whose veins run the blood of a Kinomoto. I promise this much."

Stunned, the king watched, as in a trance, as Sakura wrenched the sword from the king's grasp and closed her bleeding hand around it. The sharp steel cut even deeper into her hand, as the blood seeped down onto the hilt. Sakura lifted the hilt of the sword until it rested just above the king's forehead. Then, the blood dropped onto his forehead. 

The king had known what that had been all about. Sakura had just invoked the bond of blood; a blood oath, in which the enemy's steel is used to shed the blood of the one making the oath, honouring both the maker of the oath and the ancestors.

Sakura then thrust the sword back into the king's hands and clasped her two bleeding hands together. The king impatiently wiped the trickle of blood off his forehead. _Brilliant_, he told himself. _She was making a blood oath and you let her get on with it! _

He had never felt so stupid…ever. _How could you let a stupid girl get to you_? He thought savagely to himself.

"Very well," he said sharply. He closed his palm around the blade and winced as it cut through the flesh and the blood dripped off his palm. He then grabbed Sakura's bleeding hand and closed his bleeding palm around hers, so that the blood intermingled. He pushed her hand away.

"Your promise has been fulfilled. I now have Kinomoto blood running through _my_ veins," he said, with the slightest suggestion of a laugh in his voice. He smirked and turned his head away, for at the exact time, Sakura's glare would have murdered.

"You are the worst type of evil," Sakura said in a low voice. 

"Thank you," he snapped.

"You are such a conceited, arrogant, self-centered, egocentric, snooty, spoilt _brat_, that you can't even get anything for yourself, even if you tried – "

The king turned around slowly.

"I don't think you get it yet?" he said, and leant over her, so that his mouth was right beside her ear.

"I am your king now!" he hissed. "I caught you, and now you must serve me, and _me only – "_

Sakura placed her hands on his chest and shoved with all her strength, as a result, the king literally went flying into the other side of the cabin.

"And I don't think _you_ get it!" Sakura seethed. "I – am – a – human – being! And unless I'm very much mistaken, you're one too! No matter how much you try to be _God_, you never will be! Got that?! And unless you expect me to prostrate at your feet and beg for mercy, well Syaoran Li, you are once again mistaken!"

_I'll never beg_, Sakura thought bitterly. _Never.__ I'll show him what true courage is. If it means I'll go down fighting, then so be it. But I am not going to lie low and let him – walk all over me. Never. Come on Sakura. Stand up. Fight for your rights._

_I know exactly what you're thinking, Sakura_, Syaoran thought amusedly, watching the emotions flicker in the girl's emerald eyes. _But nevertheless, you will bow down to me. I will win you over, no matter how much you resist, Syaoran Li always wins!_

_~§~_

They had almost reached the palace when Syaoran suddenly held his arm in front of Sakura's body.

"Let me get one thing straight to you, Kinomoto," he said menacingly. "Since now the decision of your fate is up to me, do not try to escape. You will most surely be caught, and then most surely die."

"Then let me die!" Sakura snapped. "It's not like you're going to spare me anyhow! Besides, I'd rather die myself anyway. It'd be better up in heaven than it would be serving you!"

The king sighed. "Be reasonable, girl – "

"What reasonable?" Sakura shot back. "Who are _you to tell me about being reasonable?!? Who the hell am I to you? Just another…prisoner, I suppose! And very soon, a corpse, as far as I'm concerned, am I right?"_

"The Resistance can't operate without you," the king said silkily.

"Tomoyo Daidouji will run them!" Sakura bellowed.

"And who is Tomoyo Daidouji?" the king asked.

Sakura froze. _Damn_, she thought furiously to herself. _Great.__ This is how he operates. He gets his victims so angry they let all the information he needs to know all at once. And you blew it. Very smooth._

"Where is Tomoyo Daidouji?" he asked.

Sakura unfroze her tongue.

"How should I know?" she snapped. "I don't keep tabs on where everyone lives; it's an ensurance that I won't murder them all in their sleep if they drop a pin or something!"

The king was amused.

"How accurate," he said. "But we are not here to discuss how I treat my followers – "

"No," Sakura interrupted. "We're here to talk about how you treat your _prisoners."_

There was a pause.

"Hmm…" the king mused. "I think that is all for now, young Kinomoto. You have given me enough information for now. When you are calmed down, you will recite to me all the details about Tomoyo Daidouji…or else…"

"Or else what?" Sakura asked aggressively.

  
Syaoran smirked.

"Or else we will use more…ah…_persuasive_ methods. Hunger, thirst, floggings…they all prove to be _quite efficient in the end…"_

"You are a fool," Sakura said in a low voice, "to think that my anger can be calmed in a mere few moments of peace. When I couldn't calm my anger for over ten years when you orphaned me, do you really expect me to calm my wrath when you captured me, just on your bidding? Truly, you really overestimate yourself."

"Why thank you," Syaoran said smoothly.

"You are also a fool," Sakura said, "to believe that mere – "

She could say no more. Strong hands had tied a gag around her mouth and nose, and tied up her hands and feet at the same time. A halter was tied about her neck. Through narrowed eyes she could see that Syaoran held the other end. More hands pulled her out from the carriage. She lost her balance as she hit the ground. 

"I remember the last time I saw you," came Syaoran's voice from above her. "You were lying in this exact spot, on the ground, unconscious. Clearly, ten years has not taught you much."

_~§~_

Sakura sat against the wall of her stone cell, her legs folded into her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs, her face half-buried into her legs, thinking.

It had been a full six hours since she had been knocked out on the ground. When she had awoke, she had found herself untied, but in this dark, damp, filthy cell with the rotten sickly odour of decay strong about her. She had realised, with a sickly jolt in her stomach, that the cells around her contained skeletons, the bodies decomposed and gone, dead free. She recognised the skeleton that lay in her cell – it had belonged to her brother, Touya. The brow of the skull had been fractured – that had happened when Sakura was four. Touya had been practising his ability with a sword, when his adversary flung the sword at him, the hilt thudded right above Touya's left eyebrow.

Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears…

_Touya__…_

_I'm trapped here, just like you were…they locked me in here…with you…_

_But don't worry…_

_The secrets of this country are safe with me…_

_No one will come to harm because of me…_

_I'd rather die…_

Suddenly, the door to her cell burst open. Sakura shielded her eyes against the light.

"What the-?"

There were six Li soldiers, and several others behind those initial six.

"What are you doing - ?" Sakura tried to ask, but they pounced before she could finish. Two grabbed her arms. Another two grabbed her legs. The six soldiers, each with iron grips and twice as much strength as she possessed, pinned her to the ground. 

Another four came in. The last one to come in was one Sakura recognised…

He was the advisor to the king.

In his hands, he carried a needle, and a bottle of green ink.

"Good afternoon, Sakura Kinomoto," the advisor said. "You may not know me, but my name is Eriol Hiragiwaza. Now, you may or may not know, but people who stay at the castle must have the symbol of the Lis put on them. Now, as you will be staying here for a while, we must make sure you are…ah…_marked_."

"Get off of me!" Sakura struggled, but what good was her strength against six trained soldiers?

"Here," Eriol said and the remaining three soldiers lowered her neckline to right beside her left armpit.

"That will do," Eriol said, and they pinned her down. Eriol swiftly tattooed the Li symbol onto Sakura in green.

"Does it hurt?" Eriol asked, a malicious smile on his face, staring into Sakura's pain-filled eyes. "Well, think again young lady. You have openly rebuked the king…be lucky to be alive."

They left, leaving Sakura helpless, with nothing to distract her from the bubbling pain in her tattoo. A tattoo of the hated Lis.

_~§~_

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.

**A/N:** Whew! Sorry it took so long to update, but then again, it was quite lengthy – for my standards anyway. I have been swamped with homework so…please forgive me.

Review please!

~Chandramukhi


	3. Interrogated

**Unquenchable**

****

_~Chandramukhi~_

                                                                             _~§~_

          Last Chapter:

"That will do," Eriol said, and they pinned her down. Eriol swiftly tattooed the Li symbol onto Sakura in green.

"Does it hurt?" Eriol asked, a malicious smile on his face, staring into Sakura's pain-filled eyes. "Well, think again young lady. You have openly rebuked the king…be lucky to be alive."

They left, leaving Sakura helpless, with nothing to distract her from the bubbling pain in her tattoo. A tattoo of the hated Lis.

                                                                                           _~§~_

                                                                   **Chapter 3: Interrogated**

Sakura's hate-filled eyes travelled across the dark cell. Her eyes had gradually gotten used to the dark and now she was scanning the cell. 

There were bars on the door, the stone walls were cracked and damp, occasional _drips of water could be heard, and sharp stones littered the floor. _

_This is home…_Sakura thought bitterly. _I haven't been here for ten years and now, I'm imprisoned in my own home_. 

Of course, Sakura hadn't forgotten all she had learnt as a child. Secret ways into and out of the castle still lay freshly burnt into her memory. 

But none of them seemed to lead out of the dungeons…

Sakura banged her fists against the walls.

"Damn!" she cried.

                                                                             _~§~_

The door opened again. Sakura awoke with a start. This time, only two Li soldiers stood, framed by the square cell door.

"His Majesty King Syaoran wants to see you," one of them drawled.

Sakura's eyes flashed red at the mention of the king's name.

"Oh does he?" she asked contemptuously. "And what if I say I don't want to see that idiotic spineless duck-footed, cowardly baboon for the sake of sparing my eyesight?"

"Then we'll just drag you there and make you repeat what you just said to His Majesty and see if he hasn't got a sharp sword to cut your tongue off for your impertinence!" one barked.

Sakura smirked.

"I'd like to see you try," she said, leaning against the wall and folding her arms. "Because, I've gotten used to this place, I don't want to leave it just to see some bastard with an empty head."

Sakura anticipated the first blow. Neatly sidestepping the first soldier's spearhaft, she fell onto her hands and kicked the soldiers feet. He lost balance and fell, losing consciousness. Sakura then slowly closed her hand around the gritty sand that graced her floor. Then, she walked slowly to the second one, who had not noticed her little move.

"Want to stop me?" she asked. Quick as lightning, her hand threw the sand into his eyes. As he fell to his knees, Sakura wrenched the spear from the soldier's grasp and banged it over his head. He too passed out.

"Never send a man to do a woman's job," Sakura muttered, racing down the drippy passageway, spear in hand, twirling it expertly to get the feel of it. She flattened herself against the wall, watching the two guards who guarded the dungeons. Sakura's hand closed about a rough, heavy chunk of rock, a plan forming in her head. Her aim was good. If she could get that first one down, and then storm the other one…

It was simple. She tossed the rock from one hand to the other, feeling its weight and balance, then took aim, and threw with all her strength.

A more accurate throw had never been thrown. It hit the soldier directly on target, knocking him out. As the second guard bent over to check what had happened, Sakura flung the spear.

The expression of surprise lay etched on his face forever.

                                                                             _~§~_

Sakura had the bloody spear in her hand, stealthily creeping through the shadows of her former home like a ghost of ill omen. Quite suddenly, as she turned into a corridor, she heard voices.

"I wonder what will become of that girl His Majesty locked into the dungeons yesterday?" one of them asked.

"I don't know. But whomever it was is facing a slow and painful death…by the King's crown I can swear that!" the other one chuckled.

"Yep…but don't get your hopes up…I heard His Majesty's finishing this one off himself…ooh boy, this is going to be interesting…"

"Terribly…but don't forget that she stormed six soldiers by herself…I don't envy the two who were sent down to retrieve her…"

Sakura crept away from the voices, taking an alternate route she knew would get her out of the castle. The voices were growing fainter…she was leaving them behind…she chanced a look behind her…

_Wham!_

Stars danced in front of Sakura's eyes. Shaking her head, she looked at who she had bumped into.

Wrong move.

It had been the soldiers she had been listening to! They had been in front of her all along! And there weren't two…there were _four_.

"Ahh…" one of them sneered. "Aren't you supposed to be down there?"

Sakura held the spear warningly in front of her. "I'm not ending up _down there. That's where you're going…along with your bloody king!"_

She knocked the butt of the spear into the first soldier's stomach and turned it speedily, ready to rush the second, but a sword whipped through the air and chopped the spear in half. The next moment, it was grazing her neck.

"Don't you dare move, girl," another soldier whispered, arms pinning her arms to her body. "You've got a scheduled meet with the king…we're all coming…we were invited."

Chucking nastily, the four soldiers frog-marched Sakura to the throne room.

                                                                             _~§~_

Sakura bit her tongue stubbornly. She was suspended by her hands from the ceiling, her feet dangling a foot off the floor, her body covered with bruises, two soldiers standing next to her, eyes glinting with sick ecstasy, whips swinging in their hands. 

Sakura's face was tilted toward the ground, her face sweaty, her breathing laboured, her eyes overflowing, but she'd sworn she'd never let anyone see them.

Her heart…

Her heart was swollen to twice its usual size. Hate…

It was the black hatred that had consumed her…

Hatred for the one and only…

"That will do," said a voice that seemed (and Sakura wished was) miles away. The soldiers, looking disappointed, backed away. Sakura could hear his footsteps, feel his presence, sense the cold being come closer…and closer…

Something cold and sharp and silver was placed under her chin. It tilted her face up. Sakura turned her hate-ridden eyes to the cruel amber ones.

"You've got some strength," the king said, and there was a hint of wonder in his voice. "Most people I know would break completely after such an ordeal."

Sakura's teeth tightened on her tongue. She wasn't going to give in…

"…but now I am warning you," he said, his tone icy, the wonder gone, the sword still forcing her chin up, "you will tell me where Tomoyo Daidouji lives."

Sakura bit harder. Blood was pouring from her tongue, the salty taste was making her sick, but she wouldn't give in…never…

Syaoran's lip curled. The pressure on her chin increased. A thin line of blood was drawn underneath her chin, but she didn't wince, not when the whip-marks were still fresh all over her body.

Syaoran was inwardly seething. This girl could not be broken! She was a stubborn creature, a stubborn, perilous, and, he hated to admit it, but a magnificent specimen. Yet, he needed to know who were the people who would dare try and rescue her. He couldn't afford to lose her, now that he had her by the neck; she couldn't slip right through his fingers…Tomoyo Daidouji…he would lead this Kinomoto girl to the jaws of death and see how brave she was then! He racked through his brain, trying to remember all his persuasive methods he had learnt…hunger and thirst…he could resort to those…torture…he had tried…those two soldiers would have whipped the living daylights out of a lesser person, that too in front of the entire court…maybe…slowly…he could starve and thirst her and when she was weakest, he could worm it out of her…

He pulled his sword out from under her chin suddenly. Her head drooped back toward the floor, releasing her tongue, an idea forming in her head. She remembered a lesson back in her days of a princess…this could help her only now…

She took a deep breath and screeched high in her throat – once, twice, three sharp screeches from her throat resonated across the room. 

"What was that?" one soldier asked.

"That was Her Highness," another joked. They began to laugh, when the screeches echoed, a hundred times louder, grislier and ghostlier than when Sakura herself had screeched.

Syaoran looked around, his back to Sakura. Everyone's attention was diverted.

"This half, outside! Check what's making this! It's probably a Resistance attempt to save the Princess! You lot, patrol the corridor outside the entrance hall! You lot – "

Sakura shut out Eriol's voice blabbering out orders. Her eyes were focused on the sheathed sword before her feet. Calculating quickly, she swung her feet from beneath her and kicked out.

Right on target, the sword flew from the scabbard in response to the force of Sakura's kick. It flew in an arc, sharp steel glimmering, until the rope obstructed its path…

The rope suspending Sakura to the ceiling!

The sword cut through the rope and fell straight. Sakura's bound hands caught the sword and she streaked it downward to the rope binding her feet together. Twirling her old sword familiarly, the blade sliced through the rope binding her hands together at lightning speed. She charged at Syaoran and slashed his cheek. Blood poured from his cheek. He cried out in pain clapping a hand to his cheek.

"Take that, you bastard!" she muttered to him as she charged past him and took out the remaining eight soldiers in the room. They fell in one swipe. She paused in front of Eriol, her lips twisting upward in the first smile she had worn in the past 24 hours, emphasized by the fanatical glow of bloodlust in her green eyes.

"Shall I tattoo _my_ mark on you, or does it really matter?" she asked him, raising her sword and swiftly, yet gently tracing her family mark on his forehead, so that it poured in a gentle line of blood.

"There," she whispered in his ear as she raced by him. "I left you my _messenger only."_

Syaoran was on the floor, but he drew his sword and took aim at Sakura's retreating figure. Then, the sword left his hand. It flew slightly off target, but served its purpose. It pinned Sakura's ripped kimono to the wall. Eriol then drew his sword and placed it behind her neck. Sakura raised hers.

"I dare you to," she said dangerously. "I'm pinned to the wall and you're not. Do you have the guts to take me on…you spineless coward?"

Her eyes focused on a portrait on the wall behind him. It was a family portrait of the Lis. There was Syaoran, and a similarly cruel looking man, undoubtedly his father. There was also the Queen, and four other girls. One of them looked dreadfully familiar…but it couldn't be…

Shiehua…

Touya's wife…

Shiehua…

Was a Li???

Confusion welled up in Sakura's mind…

_If Shiehua…was a Li…then…why did they take us over if we were already ntied???_ Sakura asked herself, in a daze.

The soldiers burst into the room, and taking one look at the situation, raced to Eriol's rescue.

"I could have your head for a prize, girl," Eriol whispered, raising his sword.

"Hirigawaza! Don't you dare!" Syaoran bellowed. Everyone stared at him as he got up and pointed a shaking finger at Sakura.

"Take her back downtairs," he ordered.

Skaura, still dazed, let them drag her off.

An elderly advisor held an arm out to Syaoran, who gratefully accepted.

"Honestly, Your majesty, why don't you just do away with her?" he asked.

"No Wei," Syaoran shook his head. "There is another reason for keeping her alive…a reason which I'm sure that even she's not aware of…"

**Disclaimer:** I. Own. Nothing.

**A/N:** Well, I hope that was exciting. Next chapter, we'll see exactly _why_ Syaoran took over Sakura's kingdom, since his sister had already been married to Sakura's brother.

Review please!

~Chandramukhi


	4. Resistance

**Unquenchable**

****

_~Chandramukhi~_

_~§~_

Last Chapter:

An elderly advisor held an arm out to Syaoran, who gratefully accepted.

"Honestly, Your majesty, why don't you just do away with her?" he asked.

"No Wei," Syaoran shook his head. "There is another reason for keeping her alive…a reason which I'm sure that even she's not aware of…"

_~§~_

**Chapter 4: Resistance**

Sakura's mind was swimming over in confusion…

Shiehua…

Touya's _wife._

She couldn't believe it.

Syaoran had killed his own _sister?_

He really did seem that type, she asserted. Power-hungry…they must have been elder to him…so they married them off to other kingdoms, took over their kingdoms and slain the sisters…

_Disgusting_…Sakura shuddered.

Sakura was so confused…it never struck her that it was her brother-in-law who had stuck her here…

_~§~_

_"Shiehua…" Sakura said, staring at the young queen._

_"Yes, Sakura?"__ Shiehua smiled at the young girl._

_"When will I get to meet your family?" Sakura asked curiously._

_Shiehua__ smiled at the little girl. "Soon…" she said. "Very soon…"_

_~§~_

Sakura jolted out of her memories. That had been the day before the Lis had taken over the Kinomoto kingdom. But…had Shiehua _known_ about this?

Or had she been as shocked as the rest had been?

Sakura's eyes closed in confusion. _Why_ was the world so confusing? Why was the king such a jerk?

Unable to answer all these, Sakura's eyelids began to droop. Against her will, she fell asleep.

_~§~_

_ She was floating around in empty space. There was an unknown force in the air; a force so powerful, she felt as though it would rip the world apart, had it not been controlled by (Sakura couldn't believe it) her. She smiled. For once, she was in charge…_

_ "Sakura…" a voice echoed through the darkness._

_ Sakura jolted. She wasn't the only one in this odd place. There was someone calling to her._

_ "Sakura…" the voice called again. Sakura blinked._

_ The darkness lifted, but the mystic eeriness stayed. The room was dimly lit by a ghostly white light that cast long, pale shadows off the woodwork._

_ Sakura looked around warily…the room looked vaguely familiar…a place out of a dream, no doubt…yet…_

_ The memories were painful. Sakura brushed away a tear as she remembered how she and Touya had played hide-and-seek so merrily among the bookshelves. He had often complained how unfair it was that she was so tiny that she could fit under a bookshelf._

_ He had been ten years elder to her, yet found time every day to spend with his little sister. How she missed him!_

_ But what was she doing here?_

_ "Sakura…"_

_ The voice was different. It seemed to sound like hundreds of ghostly voices calling out her name at once. And it was coming from…_

_ Sakura followed the sound of the voices cautiously, like a mouse treading over cat's territory. Slowly, stealthily, she made her way through the many shelves of books, looking like dark blobs in the dim light._

_ "Sakura…"_

_The voice was growing louder. She was getting closer! She sped up her pace…faster and faster…_

_ "Sakura…"_

_ She could almost see the voice, it was so close. Just at her fingertips she caught a flash of it. Something vivid and red…the Kinomoto crest emblazoned on it…a slot that might have held a key…_

_ "Sakura…"_

_ ~§~_

Sakura awoke with a start. Her breathing was extremely laboured. Dwelling on the dream, she remembered what she had seen…yet…it made no sense…

Her hands fiddled with the necklace around her neck. Hanging off it was an ornately carved gold pendant, shaped like a sun, adorned with an intricate Kinomoto crest…identical to the one on the strange thing she had seen in her dream. It used to belong to her grandmother; she had rescued it from the palace ten years ago, lest the enemy find it.

The crest matched the one on the silver ring on her left hand. The size of a chicken's egg, the ring was huge; made of silver, featuring a flat, egg-sized, oval diamond covered in silver filigree and all manners of precious stones big and small, all elaborately worked into the stone to form the Kinomoto crest.

It was then, when she ran her fingers along the crest on her ring, that a bright light filled her cell; a bright, golden light rather like sunshine…and it seemed to be coming from…

Sakura's hand clasped around the golden sun on her neck, feeling its warmth flow through her body, calming her, renewing her, repairing her, healing her…

It went out the moment the cell door opened. Once again, Sakura found herself facing not two, but _ten_ Li soldiers who had been assigned with the legendary task of taking her to the king.

"The King wants to see you, girl," one of them sneered. 

"Oh really?" Sakura asked carelessly. "What did he ask for this time?"

"He wants to have a little chat with you," the soldier replied aggressively.

"Really?" Sakura asked. "Well, I suppose you'll do no better than to run back up to that selfish dense dithering old fool and tell him I'm in no mood to talk to him today and that no amount of flogging will suffice to loosen my tongue today."

They pounced, all ten of them. Sakura was now powerless in ten iron grips, yet she didn't let it show on her face.

"Oh well," she shrugged. "I suppose I have been a very bad girl and now I have to be punished."

"That's right girlie," one of them sneered.

"If the punishment is the king showing his face, I'm dead scared."

_~§~_

Sakura stopped in front of a large set of green doors. The Li symbol decorated both doors. Sakura knew where she was being taken. It was the king's own chambers.

Confusion whirred in her head.

What the hell did he want with her _here_?

The guard, sneering at her, knocked officiously at the door.

"Who is it?" came a sharp voice from inside.

"Highness, it is Relieve Number Twenty-Two. Mission accomplished and ready to be presented," the guard barked.

The voice replied back. "Well, don't just stand there! Send her in!"

The guard bowed. "As you wish." He opened the door, grabbed Sakura and threw her into the room.

"You may go," the voice said. "And close the door!"

The guard bowed, and closed the door. Sakura blinked. It was pitch black. What Sakura wouldn't give to have that warmth spread through her body like it had done so in the dungeons…

Sakura closed her eyes, rubbing her finger over the elaborate ring on her finger, hoping for the warmth to come, shine a light in this dark room and take her away from here…

Almost on cue, the lights flashed on, but it wasn't by her ring or her necklace. The king was standing by a lamp, a lit match in his hands. He flicked it indifferently to what Sakura thought was herself, but was indeed a flat dish filled to the brim with oil. It burst into flames, the light illuminating the whole large room Sakura recognised as her father's.

"I have a few questions of you, Sakura Kinomoto," the king said slowly, advancing on her.

Sakura didn't flinch, but remembered Shiehua, anger flaring up inside her like the torch beside her.

"And what would they be…dear _brother-in-law_?"

Syaoran froze in his tracks, puzzlement showing on his features.

"Your sister," Sakura said pointedly, "was married to _my_ brother. Shiehua. You killed her, didn't you? You animal! You – you – you butchered your own sister?! Just because she owned land that _you_ wanted?!? She had a – a happy life and you – you took it all away from her, you – you misfit! You – you're a monster!"

Her voice shook with anger, the fanatical fire of hate dancing in her eyes.

"But that has nothing to do with why you, or why I, am here today," Syaoran continued, resuming his advance. "You said I wanted land, didn't you? You think that I am here today because I wanted this land to be my own? Even though it would fall heir to me anyway?!

No. Even though you are a clever girl, Kinomoto, you will never understand why I conquered this kingdom. You may understand your reason for being here, but you shall never understand your purpose in my eyes."

"Good!" Sakura spat. "You think I _want_ to be a part of your – your sick fantasies?! You think I _want to know what you do to women behind closed doors, you…you…"_

"You misunderstand me," Syaoran said delicately. 

"And you to me," Sakura said. "You think I _enjoy_ being here? You think that I _enjoy_ watching you live here – _here_! Where my father used to live!"

"Possibly," Syaoran said, growing closer, eyes glinting maniacally. "But do not misunderstand me. I have no intentions of what crosses your mind. So ease that fear of yours – "

Sakura stepped back. "Did you just tell me to ease _fear_?" she whispered.

He didn't answer.

"DID YOU TELL ME TO EASE FEAR?!" she yelled.

"I – "

"SHUT UP!" Sakura yelled. "I DON'T _CARE_ WHAT YOU SAY, OR WHAT YOU THINK! I'LL _NEVER_ GIVE UP TOMOYO'S LOCATION TO YOU!"

"But you do care," Syaoran said softly. "You _would_ care after all, if I were to tell you that Tomoyo Daidouji was caught today, moments before I dispatched the guard to send you up here."

Sakura's breath froze.

"What?" she whispered.

"You do not believe me. Yet it stands true: Tomoyo Daidouji was surrendered to us by a _very_ useful information source. We have names of all who were in your Resistance – "

"LIAR!" Sakura screamed.

" – and tomorrow, at dawn, they will all be – "

"SHUT UP!" Sakura tried to drown out his words. "YOU'RE A SICK MINDED SWINE! YOU LIE, SYAORAN LI!"

" – executed," Syaoran finished, a sickening smile perched on his lips.

Sakura had had enough. She actually clapped her hands over her ears and shook her head violently, still unwilling to believe.

"You believed that your puny little Resistance would stand a chance after we caught you, girl?" Syaoran said viciously. "Well, perhaps. Yet, there was a very valuable spy who gave us all the details – "

"And you expect me to believe the fact that one of my Resistance members betrayed us all?" Sakura whispered in deadly rage, her hands falling from her ears.

Syaoran shrugged. "It is up to you whether to believe in reality or go on living in your little dream world – "

THWACK!

Syaoran clapped a hand to his cheek in shock. Sakura stood less than an inch in front of him, her hand raised. She had slapped him across the face with all the strength she could muster (which was considerable).

"It's _you_ who's living in the dream world," she said, her voice soft, yet cruel. "You. Not me. _You_. You make this world your own personal living quarters and in the meanwhile, turn life into a nightmare for everyone else. I haven't been living a _dream_ these past ten years. It's been a _nightmare_, Syaoran. A nightmare. And it was created by you. And that's why I hate you."

She slapped him again.

"That's why I enjoyed that so much," she whispered.

She kicked his shin.

"That's why you should learn that the strength of a woman surpasses your own," she said.

Syaoran's spite returned.

"So, in spite of my saying that one of your Resistance betrayed you, you don't believe me?"

THWACK!

She slapped him again.

"You shut up," she whispered dangerously, breath heaving in and out. "Just – shut up. You honestly believed that I'd believe your lies? This world's not only black and white, Syaoran. The ground's solid, and it's more than _dreams _that make it up. It's faith. A new word to add to your vocabulary. _Faith_."

Sakura smiled wistfully.

"Knowing you, I should have realized that you would try such a dirty trick. But I know now. Neither has Tomoyo been caught; nor has there been any spy. It's all a lie. A dirty lie."

She raised her hand menacingly.

"But I'm warning you," she said, her voice low. "Any more shit from your mouth, and I'll personally see to it that that toothpick you call a backbone pins your lying tongue to the very roof of your mouth!"

She looked him squarely in the eye.

"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to sleep."

_~§~_

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, I'd make it the real plot.

**A/N:** Sorry about the length in time, but I had a brainwave about my other ficcie, _Arms of the Angel. Now I'm waiting for my fifteen reviews for _AotA_ and then I'll start back on that. But I thought I'd get back to here as well. XD._

I wuv all my reviewers! Sixty already! I can't believe it! That's twice as much as I got for my HP fic!

Till next time,

**_Chandramukhi_**


	5. Enlightened

**Unquenchable**

****

_~Chandramukhi~_

                                                                                                _~§~_

            Last Chapter:

"But I'm warning you," she said, her voice low. "Any more shit from your mouth, and I'll personally see to it that that toothpick you call a backbone pins your lying tongue to the very roof of your mouth!"

She looked him squarely in the eye.

"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to sleep."

                                                                                                _~§~_

**Chapter 5: Enlightened**

Days passed. Yet Sakura's anger never ebbed, and the hatred between her and the king was at its peak…

Sakura could hardly believe how Syaoran could be so foolish as to believe that stopping her rations would make her speak. After all, hadn't she spent most of her childhood in starvation? Wasn't it common for her to go weeks and weeks at a stretch with nothing to eat?

The king was a fool. To state the obvious.

However, the thrashing was becoming unbearable…day after day, they would come, their eyes glinting with some sort of unspoken vengeance and their whips cracking sickeningly. Every day…she would attempt another storm to try and free herself from the Lis. But how? The palace was too well protected…

Sakura needed time to think properly…how could she escape? There were guards and soldiers at every corner, each armed to the teeth…even if she could grab a weapon, the only way to defeat them would be with the element of surprise…something she didn't have.

Her chances looked low…

And not only that, but, the dreams kept coming back to her. Night after night, Sakura would dream of the strange, empty nothingness calling her to the strange, book-filled room, where she would be led to…well, she didn't know _what_ it was, but whatever it was, she was positive someone knew…someone being Syaoran himself.

Why had he called her to the room? Somehow, she felt that his false lie of "Tomoyo being caught" had nothing to do with it. Why did she get a feeling that her dreams were connected with _Syaoran_ somehow?

She stroked her necklace, remembering how it had lit up that other day. Like her own sun…like her own ray of warmth and hope…

She then looked at her ring, shaped more like a full moon…silver, bright, beautiful…was the ring her moonlight? Her only guide through the darkness of this prison cell?

Many times she had tried to "activate" her necklace by causing it to light up, yet she had no idea how it had started in the first place…maybe because the sun never shone during the night, would she look to the moon for help?

She traced the crest of the Kinomotos on the ring. "Kinomoto…" she murmured, thinking of her great ancestor, who had fallen trying to reach the moon, "may your light shine upon your ever-faithful people, may we look to you for guidance, for strength, for hope…may your moonlight help me, the last of your line…may good fortune still blow over your bones as of now and forever…"

It was then, when Sakura tilted the ring, she saw something inscribed on the back of her ring:

**_Sakura Kinomoto - last of all Kinomotos, look to your moon and reach for the Sun..._**

_What the heck?_ Sakura thought nervously. If this had been an age-old ring that had _supposedly been in her family for __ages, why had nobody noticed this – this weird _message_ on the back of the ring?_

Oh well. Sakura squinted at the inscription, trying to figure out what it meant…

_Look to your moon and reach for the Sun…_

Sakura racked her brains. Her moon? Her sun?

_Look to your moon and reach for the Sun…_

Wait. The clue gave no mention to _her Sun. Would she have to reach for the real Sun?_

_Look to your moon and reach for the Sun…_

Sakura reasoned to herself: _The ring is obviously the moon, but what is the Sun? Where would I find the Sun?_

Struggling to find an answer, Sakura slipped into another fitful slumber…

_Look to your moon and reach for the Sun…_

                                                                                    _~§~_

_She was floating around in the empty world of nothingness again. Although at once, Sakura could feel something tingling…it was getting stronger. The force that held the world together was getting stronger…strong enough to become real, more than just a mere dream or illusion…real…solid…firm…_

_Sakura looked down. This world was empty, save for distant stars that seemed to twinkle with every tinge of power Sakura felt. She frowned to herself. Were they getting closer?_

_"Sakura…"_

_Sakura blinked. That voice! It was calling…again!_

_"Sakura…"_

_"Where are you?!?" Sakura shouted. It echoed off into the infinite space…_

_Yet again the voice called._

_"Sakura…"_

_"Leave me alone!" Sakura cried._

_The world revolved crazily, Sakura clenched her eyes shut and waited for the stormlike swirling to pass. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the book-filled room again. And this time, recognition hit her over the head._

_"It's the castle library!" she cried. So now she knew where to look…to find out once and for all…was this a dream, or reality?_

_She strode purposefully to where she knew the red object was; she knew where she was going, she didn't need the voices to guide her. She knew this shelf, and that book, all so well…_

_She neared the shelf where the red object was kept. _

_It was there!_

_Sakura reached out a trembling hand and grasped the object and brought it to her eyes, examining it. A bright light filled the room._

_It was a book! _

_A red book, with the word SAKURA on it, and most importantly, there was the Kinomoto crest emblazoned on it…inside a golden Sun…_

_"The Sun!"__ Sakura breathed. "This is my Sun!"_

_                                                                                    ~§~_

Sakura woke up with a start, breathing heavily, as realization dawned upon her…

That book! The only means of her escape was within this castle…and she knew _exactly_ where it was…

Sakura smiled to herself. Now. To start planning…

                                                                                    _~§~_

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:**  Wow! Just over 30 reviews! Holy geez, you people are spoiling me. I am soooooooo sorry for the long update gap, but I was so clichéd for inspiration, anyhow, it came back!

I think some of you clever people might figure out where I'm heading with this…

Now, a bit of clarification:

1) Some of you out there might find a striking resemblance between _Unquenchable_ and _Evil's Sweet Seduction, by Sweet-Chocolate-Angel. I've noticed it myself, and I found it quite coincidental, but I assure you all, this is not some mere copy, I know where I am going with this story and already, I can see that __ESS is going one way, and _Unquenchable_ is going the other. _

2) There will no lemons in this story! Some of you out there may have requested them, but I am sorry, there is no room for lemons in this story. This story is going to take a very dramatic twist soon, and you'll see very soon why there can't be any nimboodas in this story.

Well, that's all for now! Enjoy!

R&R please!!!

**_Chandramukhi_**


	6. Freedom

**Unquenchable**

****

_~Exillusion~_

                                                                                                _~§~_

            Last Chapter:

Sakura woke up with a start, breathing heavily, as realization dawned upon her…

That book! The only means of her escape was within this castle…and she knew _exactly_ where it was…

Sakura smiled to herself. Now. To start planning…

                                                                                                _~§~_

**Chapter 6: Freedom**

Syaoran paced the floors of his chamber, thinking hard. He desperately needed to know if…well…_she knew about them. He remembered, ever since he was young, his father telling him that he had the power to control them, but he needed to obtain the knowledge. His father had also told him that the one who had both the power _and_ the knowledge could control them, and only one in each generation could control them…most often born to a member of a royal family. Yet, he, Syaoran, had not been the Chosen One. Syaoran's father had continually ordered him to seek out the one with the power, and he had obeyed. He marshalled the armies far and wide, spreading havoc among the other more peaceful kingdoms. While the vast empire of the Li kingdom grew even larger, Syaoran had not found the one chosen to control them. _

Then, his thoughts turned toward the peaceful duplicate of his kingdom, the kingdom ruled by the Kinomotos. He weighed his chances. The Lis and the Kinomotos had normally been rather friendly toward each other. But of late, a growing tension had broken the two apart. Syaoran's father, in fact, had not been fond of King Fujitaka. The Kinomotos, as if realizing the oncoming of war, had expanded its own empire, mainly through the use of several treaties. When the Lis had taken over the Kinomoto kingdom, Syaoran had ordered the royal family to be captured, namely the prince and princess. The prince Touya had been seized, and Syaoran knew that he had not been the chosen one. But the princess had escaped…

Yet, when he had captured the princess, he could immediately sense power radiating within her. Something about her clear green eyes was very expressive, they mirrored the intense magic within, the magic she knew nothing of.

Thinking deeply, Syaoran continued his pacing, thoroughly unaware of the commotion outside.

                                                                                                _~§~_

Sakura banged on the bars of her cell, hoping to get heard by one of the Li soldiers…just one. Her arms were getting raw and weary from pounding on the heavy, rough oak door and she could feel a splinter or two digging painfully into her palm, reopening sword wounds that had not healed properly. 

"Come on!" she seethed in frustration, her voice hoarse and raspy, and pitiful compared to the commanding general-type tone she had acquired from the past years. "Why won't they come?"

"Hello?!" she shouted down the hall through the bars. "Can somebody hear me?!" 

There was no answer. Suddenly, Sakura had an idea, an inspiration…a bluff that just might work.

"I'm ready to tell the king _everything_!" she shouted. "But I swear I won't if I don't get out of this cell soon!"

Sakura could have sworn she'd heard murmuring and then immediate, brisk footsteps down the hall toward her. Sakura peered through the bars. There was a shadow approaching! Her plan was starting to work! 

"Yes?" the soldier said gruffly. Sakura thought there was something odd about the guard's voice, yet she paid no attention to it.

"I – I need to talk to the king," Sakura stammered, and tried to put on a defeated expression. "I – I'm tired of this cell and – and all this torture – a – and I'm ready to tell the king _everything."_

The soldier seemed to digest this information and then nodded, although his voice sounded rather cold as he replied, "Follow me, please."

As Sakura followed the soldier, she stopped suddenly. The soldier turned around.

"What is it, girlie?"

Sakura took a deep breath. "I know a shortcut," she said finally. "A – a shorter way to the king's chambers…if you could follow me, I could lead you right outside his door."

The soldier eyed her suspiciously. "How would _you know a shorter way to the king's chambers?"_

Sakura held her head high as she replied, "Those chambers used to belong to my father, and this used to be my castle. I know more about it than you'll ever know."

The soldier shrugged. "Lead me to it, but I'm warning you, I'm holding this spearpoint right between your shoulders; you make one wrong move and you pay for it with your life!"

Sakura gritted her teeth. "I like your bravado, although I don't take false threats very seriously. If you laid a finger on me without your king's command, I think death will be belittled to what he might have in store for you."

She turned on her heel and went the opposite way, back into the dungeons, deeper and deeper into the darkness.

"Hey!" the soldier's voice yelped in the darkness. "Where are you taking me?"

Sakura called back soothingly, "It's not far from here now, it's just that your king kind of killed everyone who knew about this place _before_ they could install lights in here!"

As Sakura led the unfortunate soldier deeper and deeper into the darkness, very soon, she halted. The soldier crashed right into her.

"Ah! Is that you, girlie?"

Sakura's voice froze water as she replied. "My name is not _girlie_, boy. My name is Sakura, but don't mire it by speaking it."

"So what do we do now?" the soldier asked.

Sakura shrugged. "There's a wall right in front of me; eighteen feet thick and solid rock all throughout. It's filled with tiny holes, but one of them will lead us through the wall. Only one. If you get the wrong hole, the whole place gets rigged into an ambush and would turn the pair of us into pincushions."

The soldier gulped audibly. "S – so do you know which hole it is?"

Sakura snorted. "What do you think me to be? Of course I know which hole it is! I just need something that would fit the hole perfectly…may I use your spearhaft?"

The soldier snorted. "What do you think _me to be? A fool? I won't give you a weapon in this darkness; I'd rather find the hole myself…"_

"There are exactly five thousand, three hundred and seventy-eight holes," Sakura informed him, "and five thousand, three hundred and seventy-seven of them will lead you to your death. The odds on your finding the proper hole is slim. Also, even if you did get the proper hole, the wall stays open for twenty seconds _only. And the space is tiny; someone your size would have difficulty getting through."_

"Then why'd you lead me here?" the soldier demanded.

"Because I have a way of keeping the space open for as long as we need it open," Sakura said.

"How?"

"Because I'm a Kinomoto," Sakura said reasonably.

The soldier's resolve was not strong, and finally, he gave in. "Okay," he said, handing her the spear, "but be very careful, and also…get there fast."

"No problem," Sakura said, as she felt the stout stick of hardened oak with the dangerously sharp flint tip. Her hand found the soldier's hand and gripped it surprisingly hard for a starved, beaten eighteen-year-old girl.

"Ow!"

"Sorry," Sakura said. "Just wanted to make sure you're there. Er – you don't happen to have a match with you, do you?"

The soldier's entire demeanour brightened. "A match? Of course, I've got it right here, just hold on for a second!"

The soldier fumbled through his pockets and soon came up with a match, or rather, Sakura thought, a piece of wood tipped with flint and soaked with oil. 

The soldier passed it to Sakura, who still hadn't let go of the soldier's wrist.

"Okay…" Sakura said and started counting holes. "One up…two across…three diagonally…"

It seemed to go on forever, before Sakura announced her decision. "This is it!" she announced triumphantly to the bewildered soldier.

"B-but what did you need the match for?" the soldier asked.

"Never you mind. Now, hold on, and don't move," Sakura ordered as she raised the spear.

The soldier obeyed, much to his misfortune, as Sakura turned on her heel and whacked the spearhaft over his head. There was a sickening crunching sound as the soldier's knees gave way, and he slumped to the ground, unconscious. Sakura could feel something dripping onto her arm and instinctively knew it was blood.

"Sorry," Sakura said to the soldier, "but you knew too much."

She struck the match against the cold stone ground. The bright yellowish flame was a dazzling sight after such pitch blackness, and illuminated even the darkest corners. Sakura smiled slyly to herself as she looked ahead of her. There had been no wall, no holes in any wall, nor had there been any secret passageway leading to the king's chambers.

It had all been a bluff, and Sakura silently congratulated herself.

But time was running out! Someone would be sure to realize that this soldier had not reported to duty in a while, and it wouldn't be long before search patrols were sent to scour the entire castle for one missing soldier. 

Sakura spied an unlit torch in a bracket on the stone wall. She retrieved it and lit the hardened, hefty piece of wood with the match. The light was bright and Sakura could see very well. She made her way back to the dead soldier. She pulled the spear out from his body and wiped it clean of his bloodstained uniform. Then, she searched him for any weapons she could use. Her search didn't go entirely in vain, for she found two good swords, a deadly-looking rapier, and a short dagger. Sakura, knowing where the most deadly weapons were hidden, stripped him of his boots and found a tiny box, containing a tiny, pressurized dart, the point smeared with poisonous chemicals and toxins, along with a blowpipe, to propel the dart. 

She sat down beside the soldier, thinking. If she could disguise herself as the soldier, her chances of getting into the library would be greater…but…

She looked despairingly at her womanly figure. A hobo with half an eye would be able to notice that she was a girl trying to be a man as opposed to a man. And even if that racist king Syaoran had female soldiers, she was positive they'd have a different uniform.

Sakura examined the fitting of the soldier's uniform. It was baggy and armoured. Sakura noted that they were weak at the neck and at the joints as a future reference. Sakura thought…if she could put on the uniform and pose as a guard…and then silence anyone who asked…

Sakura ripped off the soldiers uniform and put it on herself, and armed herself. She examined the fitting and was grateful it didn't show off her curves too much…in fact, she was positive now that she was entering the easiest phase in her plan.

                                                                                                _~§~_

"Oy! Where ya been?" the other guard waiting asked her.

"The Kinomoto wench was bluffing," Sakura said stiffly, adopting a rough male voice. "I had a struggle with her. But don't worry, she's back where she belongs."

The soldier paused.

"Something wrong with yer voice?" he asked quizzically.

"Sore throat," Sakura said quickly.

"I don't wonder, we freeze in these dungeons! Ah well, better join 'em than leave 'em."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Hey! Why'd you have your hood up…"

"AHHH!"

Sakura's scream rent the air.

"Wha – what happened?" The other guard's voice was scared.

"A – a rock…hit me…" Sakura choked.

"Hit you? Where?!" 

"Right in the neck…I think I need to tell Hiriigiwaza about it…"

"Let me see it!" the guard said.

"No…" Sakura couldn't risk the guard seeing her face…it was hidden underneath her hood.

"Take off your hood!" The guard demanded.

"No!" Sakura said.

"Now!" The guard demanded. Sakura was stubborn, but the guard reached out a mailed hand and lifted the hood, and gasped as he saw her face. Sakura winced; this had not been part of her plan. She awaited the blow…and the scream.

But it was not to be.

"Your Highness!" the soldier gasped. "What – what are you doing here?"

                                                                                                _~§~_

Sakura looked up. The other soldier removed _his_ hood…and then…

"Yamazaki! What are you doing here?"

"Sh!" the former Resistance member put a finger to his lips. "Not so loud!"

"It's the plan the Resistance put together. There isn't a single Li soldier left in this palace. All Kinomotos."

Sakura's sharp intake of breath let out slowly. "What about Hirigiwaza?"

"Hypnotized," Yamazaki said proudly. "One look into Lady Tomoyo's eyes solved it all. Can't tell black from white now."

"Tomoyo!" Sakura said joyfully. "She's alive! You all made it out of the ambush alive, didn't you?"

"Hardly matters. We lost a leader…" Yamazaki looked at Sakura seriously. "_Never_ go against such odds again. We were all so worried…"

"So, what happened to young Hiiro?" Yamazaki asked Sakura.

"Hiiro?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

"The lad I sent down to check on you!" Yamazaki said exasperatedly.

"Oh…" Sakura felt realisation dawning upon her, and immediately felt so stupid. "He's unconscious, back in the dungeons. I hit him over the head with his spear. I didn't know it was him! I didn't know any of you were here!" Sakura threw her arms in front of her defensively.

"What – what do you mean, Your Highness?" 

"I had no idea you all were here!" Sakura explained. 

The confusion in Yamazaki's eyes was building. "But…but you did everything according to plan! You called surrender and…and everything! It was all part of the plan! Didn't…didn't someone come by and drop a letter by your door?"

"No," Sakura said. "I made the entire thing up myself!"

Realisation dawned upon Yamazaki. "Of course," he breathed. "Yuri was injured! While guarding the dungeons! She said rock crumbled from the ceiling and fell on her head…but it must have been a trap! Because she couldn't remember if she'd delivered it or not, but the letter was missing, so…"

He looked into Sakura's eyes, panicked.

"The letter…" Sakura said thoughtfully. "Of course! _That's_ what they meant! Syaoran Li's cronies were cackling about double-crossing a double-crossing letter-deliverer! It must have been Yuri!"

"But then…"

They looked at each other. "_Li_ must have the letter! He probably knows everything now!"

"Come, Milady!" Yamazaki cried. "We must report to the Resistance headquarters and warn them – now!"

"It will be futile!" Sakura said. 

"Why?"

"Because the very reason Li captured the Kinomoto kingdom lies in the castle library, and it is _there_ where he will be waiting! I must go there!"

"What do you mean?!" Yamazaki yelped. But then he looked at the light of determination in her eyes and knew argument was useless.

"Very well, Milady. We must hasten, though!"

And with that, both ran to the library.

                                                                                    _~§~_

Sakura stood, framed by the doorway. It was pitch black. A nerve was tingling in her neck. Meaning danger lurked nearby. But she knew where she needed to go. She could feel the magic tingling in the air. 

_There was magic here_…

Welcoming the familiar wave of déjà vu, Sakura threw caution to the winds and raced into the library, dark shelves and foreboding books all blurring into one whir that flew out of focus in her eyes. She could only see the oncoming shelf, the one which would contain the mysterious red book…her Sun…her only light in this darkness…

She could feel her moonlit ring growing brighter, glowing a brilliant white as she neared the shelf. She slowed down, and looked into the spot where the book should have been…

It wasn't there…

                                                                                    _~§~_

Sakura just stood there, disappointment seeping in through her veins. All her efforts were in vain. She had endangered the lives of her Resistance – again! She had probably unwittingly fallen right into Syaoran Li's trap – again! And this probably meant that this time, he _would_ execute her Resistance – one by one….and this time, he would mean it too.

And then, she would be back to the cell…

Alone.

"So…I see you have counteracted a few plans yourself," a voice came through the bookshelves.

Sakura whirled around at the sound of the voice.

"…but nevertheless, anything you do is futile. Do not forget who I am, nor the capacity of my mind!"

"Quite the egocentric freak, aren't you?" Sakura muttered sarcastically.

He then came into view, evil smirk hitched into place and all. 

Sakura's mouth was set into a grim line.

"So, you got me here, and trapped me along with everyone else. Clever."

He tilted his head cockily to the side.

"Just another day in my life. Another prisoner is captured, stays alive for a few days and then believes they can topple my reign with a few run-of-the-mill acquaintances. Quite amusing if you think about it."

Sakura's mind was buzzing; and she was not in a good mood after her failure at discovering what the red book really was.

"All right, Li. Where are all your men? It's not like you to bide your time like so. Why aren't you taking the first offence, like you always do? Because a break in tradition is very unlike your kind."

Syaoran's smirk grew, if possibly, even more evil.

"_My_ men?" he asked casually, eyebrow raising fractionally. "I don't know about _my_ men. I only know that your pathetic Resistance is here – every last member. I took the liberty of identifying every single one of them…including Tomoyo Daidouji…"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat.

"Show them to me," she breathed.

Syaoran snapped his fingers. A split-second later, the dull dimness of the room was lifted as dozens of men leapt out, each with a prisoner to themselves. Sakura stood horrified, as six guards struggled bringing in the last remaining member of the Resistance, who would not give in without a fight.

Yamazaki.

Tears came to Sakura's eyes as they took in every member of the Resistance: once the pride of the kingdom, now, lower than the dirt, royal gowns torn and ragged, bound and gagged, each with a sword or spearpoint at their necks. And, the one captured by Eriol Hirigiwaza was none other than…

"Tomoyo!" Sakura cried out, shocked to see her dearest friend in such a state. Her blue dress was torn, the wide neck ripped at the shoulders, exposing more than necessary of a high-ranking lady of court. Her hands were tied behind her back. Eriol held them in place.

"Shall I give them the command to strike?" Syaoran asked quietly.

"You will do them no harm!" Sakura cried out loud. "Your quarrel is with me, so leave them alone!"

His eyebrow raised slightly, as he opened his mouth to give the command.

"I know what it is you seek!" Sakura cried out desperately. "I've come here to find it!"

The expression on Syaoran's face froze, save a gleam in his amber eyes.

"I know why you took over our country," Sakura continued, stalling for her Resistance's life. Every word she spoke meant another minute longer for them to live, and for that, she was willing to talk to her own grave.

"You wanted access to something which only I have the power to," Sakura continued. "But you cannot take it from me outright; I can only give it you at the time of my passing. But for that, you have be a man of your word, because I don't like liars." She finished coldly.

"Very well," Syaoran said honestly. "What do you want?"

"The Resistance members go free," Sakura said clearly. "They will have an equal part in society, an indiscriminate people, to live _in peace_ among your people, in safety. This was the goal of the Resistance," she added quickly, watching Tomoyo's mouth drop open in protest, "and if this be the only way to achieve it, then by God let it be so."

Sakura shot Tomoyo a look, telling her to keep her mouth shut and obey her for this very last time.

Sakura wondered what had possessed her to parley with Li for her peoples' freedom. She had meant to go down fighting, but what was she doing here, talking as though she was about to surrender her life in exchange for the people of her Resistance?

_Because that's exactly what it is_, a voice in her head told her firmly. _It's either your life or everyone else's. You promised him a power which you don't even know about! You couldn't even find the book…_

Something stirred in the bookshelf. Sakura's eyes flitted over to a golden sparkle in the empty spot where the book should have lain. Excitement seeped through her veins. This was it!

"Your wishes will be obeyed," Syaoran said, almost hesitantly. He turned to Eriol. "Make sure you command the stonemasons to start building. Shelters, for them…"

Eriol bowed and left.

Sakura didn't take her eyes off the golden glitter on the bookshelf. It was glowing brighter, taking a rectangular form. 

"Just another question," she said slowly, stalling for more time, to stop anyone noticed the golden glitter. "Who was it that intercepted the letter?"

"Meaning?" Syaoran was confused.

Sakura let out a breath through her teeth. "The _letter-deliverer_," she said coldly. "Who ambushed Yuri?"

Realisation dawned across Syaoran's face. "Ah…" he said. "A familiar face to all…" he said, and clapped his hands three times.

A veiled girl with a royal kimono, adorned with gold jewellery and her face covered with a fan, entered. Her catlike stance seemed very familiar to Sakura…

"Yes, Your Majesty?" the girl bowed.

Syaoran let out a mirthless chuckle. "You need not hide your face any longer, dear cousin."

Sakura stood motionless as the girl slowly removed her veil and moved the fan away from her face, revealing a fine-featured girl with long black hair and red-brown eyes, which were shining with fear and worry, not to mention guilt.

"Rei!" Sakura cried, recognising a member missing in action from the Resistance shortly before her capture. 

"Not quite," Syaoran said, his lip curling. "My cousin, Meiling Rae."

"What?" Sakura asked disbelievingly, staring hard at Rei's face for confirmation. She noticed that Rei was deliberately staring at the ground, avoiding Sakura's gaze. "It's not true!"

Syaoran let out another chuckle. "Tell her Meiling. What have you to be afraid of? A caged-in pussycat? A princess with no kingdom? A warrior with no sword?"

Sakura could feel the fury pumping through her veins, although she strained her voice, keeping it calm. 

"Look at me Rei. Tell me you're not a Li," Sakura said.

Rei continued to look down.

"A fine agent in terms of espionage," Syaoran said. "Although she has difficulties remembering where her loyalties lie. What do you think, Meiling?"

His voice had a cutting edge to it.

"N – never, Your Majesty," Rei stammered weakly. "My loyalties have always remained with you…Your Highness," she added hastily at a hard glance from Syaoran.

Sakura felt ice-cold at the statement.

"So," she said coldly. "You were the cause, weren't you, _Meiling_? It was because of you that the Resistance was nearly jeopardised!"

Meiling nodded fearfully. 

"Because of you, innocent lives were almost lost! You betrayed us! You betrayed us all!" Sakura accused.

Tears ran down Meiling's cheeks as she nodded quickly.

Sakura's eyes were icy as she spat out the last words. "_Why_?!"

Meiling turned to her cousin. "Permission to leave, Your Majesty?"

Syaoran gave her a withering look. "Permission denied, incompetent, you worthless, pathetic excuse for a human being!"

Meiling turned respectfully away, the red in her eyes beginning to spread across her face.

Sakura could feel a tinge of sympathy for Meiling. "Why, Meiling?" she repeated, her voice softer.

"Let me answer that," Syaoran cut in smoothly. "You remember that day, when I told you that I had caught Tomoyo Daidouji and the rest of your pathetic Resistance?"

"Whom you _promised_ to live _in peace_," Sakura said, her voice flat.

"Yes, yes. Them. You remember that day? I _did_ have a faithful spy with me…my cousin Meiling. She told me everything. Or rather, I had to bargain with her until she agreed. But no matter. I knew _exactly_ where the Resistnce was. But I did not strike. I wanted to see for myself the potential of these Kinomotos. I'm afraid I was alightly disappointed," he concluded.

"What do you mean, you had to _bargain_ until you agreed?" Sakura asked slowly.

"Quite simple really. I told her she'd be able to live longer if she told," Syaoran said carelessly.

"That's what you told me!" Sakura said, enraged.

"True. Then I promised Meiling her virginity."

Sakura looked horrified. Rei had not been a traitor. Moreover a poor girl caught up in the ramble and corruption of power. 

She shifted her eyes slightly to the appearing golden form on the bookshelf, and was shocked to see that it had begun to solidify, still retaining its golden colour.

Her moonlit ring and sunlit necklace were beginning to light up too, as Sakura felt the power rise in her chest. It felt good: warming yet cooling at the same time; healing and rejuvenating; healing wounds both mental and physical.

The tattoo of the Lis washed off, leaving skin as porcelain white as the rest of her skin…

The part that Sakura found the oddest, was that though all eyes were on her, it was as though nobody could see the magic rising here: a dormant magic unseen for the past two thousand years…

It was as though…

_Time had frozen_…

Sakura's sunlit necklace began to heat up with such extraordinary warmth, that she could no longer leave it hidden underneath her bodice. She pulled it out and stared at the back. A shining metallic outline of a key was shining on the back.

She touched it, and at once, both her ring, and her necklace disappeared, whirling away in a mass of molten gold, silver and magic, all blending together until they molded together in a perfect, harmonized sculpture. A circle with a golden star inside it. It was a key! A key to wield the immense power: a power only she could wield. A power in her bloodline, a power none in her family had wielded since…

"Kinomoto…" she breathed, staring at the key suspended about her neck.

She turned back to the shelf, and in a wave of bright golden light, the book turned red! Cautiously, Sakura picked up the book and examined it. 

It was the book from her dreams! And this…this was her Sun! A red book, with the words _SAKURA_ inscribed in gold near the top, together with a lion and a sun drawn in gold on the red book. On the back was the moon. And on the front cover, was a keyhole, the slot that perfectly matched the key around her neck.

As though by instinct, she fitted the key into the lock, and unlocked the book. 

Inside, was a stack of cards, each labelled with a different element: The _Windy_, the _Fly_, the _Shadow_. It went on…

What overwhelmed her was the intense flow of magic in each Card.

"The Clow Cards," Sakura breathed. "The magic to wield these comes only once in a lifetime. Clow Reed created them. But now their magic needs renewing!"

She extracted the _Windy_ Card from the Book, and immediately, the time-stop was broken.

Sakura eyed the Li king warily before he realised what he was seeing.

"Hey!" he bellowed. "What are you doing with those?!"

"I'm checking if they're fakes," Sakura replied sarcastically.

Syaoran was getting angry. "You promised you'd show me the power, girl!"

Sakura whirled on him. "And I will, once I learn!"

As if on cue, the palace started to quake. Havoc broke loose as a sheet of blinding white light bathed the palace. She shielded her face with one arm, the other clutched protectively around the Book as a dangerously powerful wind threatened to take it from her. She held on tight. When the wind had stopped, she looked around curiously.

There was no damage. But then, what had happened?

"The Cards!" Sakura gasped to herself. "They're gone!"

Indeed, the Cards had disappeared, taken by the wind, or rather, escaped from the sinister king's presence.

Sakura faced Syaoran. "You will let me go find them!" she commanded him.

"And why would I do that?" he sneered.

"Because already, they have started to create havoc among your people as well as around the world!" she cried.

"I don't care. You're not leaving!"

"Oh yes she is!"

And with that, Meiling overcame her silence and slapped Syaoran across the face. Before it could register on Li's face, Meiling had toppled him over and had started beating the living daylights out of him.

"Go now!" Meiling cried, one hand clutching both of his in a deathly vicegrip, her knee dealing swift blows to the king's abdomen. "Go now, Princess Sakura of the Kinomotos, and good luck on your journey! Be careful!"

Sakura smiled gratefully at the once-subdued young girl who had finally risen to her level and given the king what he deserved. "Thank you…Rei," she said.

As she stepped out the door, she looked back at Syaoran. "We are not through yet," she said coldly. "One day, I will be back, and when I do, there will be hell to pay!"

Saying so, she broke into a dash, arms clutched around the book. She ran.

Away from the palace.

                                                                                    Freedom was hers!

                                                                                    _~§~_

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** I am quite sorry for the lengthy update time, but I just had _so_ much to do, and then this is probably the turning-point of the entire story!

So, please, spare the flames and reviews accepted quite willingly. 

I wuv my reviewers! 

R&R please! The amount depends on the continuation of this story!

**_Chandramukhi_**


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